Arcade game with RFID reader and option to redeem points for additional plays

Abstract

An arcade game permits a player to capture physical prizes using an electro-mechanical device, whereby the prizes are assigned point values, and the point values may be redeemed both to play the game and to collect awards, such as tickets.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An arcade game comprising:
 a housing; 
 a plurality of physical items within the housing; 
 a plurality of markers, each of the markers being attached to a corresponding one of the physical items; 
 an electro-mechanical prize capturing device mounted in the housing adapted to be at least partially controlled by a player using game controls to capture at least one physical item from a display area within the housing and move the captured physical item to a marker reading area within the housing; 
 a reader device adapted to read the markers attached to the physical items, wherein each marker is programmed with a point value; 
 a computer processor adapted to receive a signal from the reader device indicating the point value for each marker of a captured physical item, the computer processor adapted to calculate a point total for each game session, wherein the point total is equal to a starting point total minus redeemed points plus the point values for the markers of all captured physical items; 
 a display screen that shows the point total; 
 wherein the computer processor is adapted to permit a player to redeem a portion of the point total for plays of the game and for an award; and 
 a multiplier button, whereby selection of the multiplier button by the player causes the portion of the point total redeemed for plays of the game to be multiplied by a multiplication factor and causes the captured item's marker point value to be multiplied by the multiplication factor. 
 
     
     
       2. The arcade game of  claim 1 , wherein the captured physical items remain within the housing and are not dispensed to the player. 
     
     
       3. The arcade game of  claim 1 , wherein the prize capturing device is a crane with a grabber mechanism that can be manipulated by a control mounted on an exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       4. The arcade game of  claim 1 , wherein the items are rolls of tickets. 
     
     
       5. The arcade game of  claim 1 , wherein the markers are RFID tags and the reader is an RFID reader. 
     
     
       6. The arcade game of  claim 1 , further comprising a ticket dispenser, and wherein the award is tickets. 
     
     
       7. The arcade game of  claim 1 , further comprising a swipe card writer, and wherein the prize is a ticket value electronically transferred to a player's swipe card. 
     
     
       8. The arcade game of  claim 1 , further comprising a token item dispenser, and wherein the award is a token item. 
     
     
       9. The arcade game of  claim 1 , wherein the computer processor is adapted to receive inputs from the player using the display screen and game controls to redeem points to play a game or redeem a number of points for the award. 
     
     
       10. The arcade game of  claim 1 , wherein the computer processor is adapted to receive inputs from an operator using the display screen and game controls to set a standard number of points to be redeemed to play the game and a standard number of points to be redeemed per award. 
     
     
       11. The arcade game of  claim 1 , further comprising a captured item orienting and singulating mechanism associated with the marker reader area to move the captured items past the reader device. 
     
     
       12. The arcade game of  claim 1 , wherein the electro-mechanical device is of the type that acquires and releases the item into the reading area. 
     
     
       13. The arcade game of  claim 12 , wherein the electro-mechanical device moves in the X or Y axis. 
     
     
       14. The arcade game of  claim 12 , wherein the electro-mechanical device moves in the X, Y, and Z axes. 
     
     
       15. The arcade game of  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is adapted to display the award. 
     
     
       16. The arcade game of  claim 1 , further comprising a printer to print an indication of the point value or award won by the player. 
     
     
       17. An arcade game comprising:
 a housing; 
 a plurality of physical items within the housing; 
 a plurality of markers, each of the markers being attached to a corresponding one of the physical items; 
 an electro-mechanical prize capturing device mounted in the housing adapted to be at least partially controlled by a player using game controls to capture at least one physical item from a display area within the housing and move the captured physical item to a marker reading area within the housing; 
 a reader device adapted to read the markers attached to the physical items, wherein each marker is programmed with a point value; 
 a computer processor adapted to receive a signal from the reader device indicating the point value for each marker of a captured physical item, the computer processor adapted to calculate a point total for each game session, wherein the point total is equal to a starting point total minus redeemed points plus the point values for the markers of all captured physical items; 
 a display screen that shows the point total; 
 wherein the computer processor is adapted to permit a player to redeem a portion of the point total for plays of the game and for an award; and 
 further wherein the computer processor is adapted to receive inputs from an operator using the display screen and game controls to set a standard number of points to be redeemed to play the game and a standard number of points to be redeemed per award. 
 
     
     
       18. The arcade game of  claim 17 , further comprising a captured item orienting and singulating mechanism associated with the marker reader area to move the captured items past the reader device. 
     
     
       19. The arcade game of  claim 17 , further comprising a multiplier button, whereby selection of the multiplier button by the player causes the portion of the point total redeemed for plays of the game to be multiplied by a multiplication factor and causes the captured item's marker point value to be multiplied by the multiplication factor.